GAY marriage got the green light from MPs last night in a "landmark" vote - despite massive opposition from many Conservatives.

Fewer than half of David Cameron's 303 MPs, including ministers, voted for the Bill even after the Prime Minister made a personal last-minute plea.

A total of 136 Tories rebelled by supporting the "No" vote with 127 in favour. A further 40 either did not vote or abstained.

But the legislation still passed its first Parliamentary hurdle by 400 votes to 175, a majority of 225, after support from the vast majority of Labour and Lib Dem MPs.

Mr Cameron took to the social network site Twitter after the result, saying: "Strong views exist on both sides but I believe MPs voting for gay people being able to marry too, is a step forward for our country."

This is about equality; but also about making our society stronger

David Cameron

Respect Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "I genuinely believe that we will look back on today as a landmark for equality in Britain."

Parties gave their MPs the freedom to vote as they wished at the end of the often intense debate.

The Bill will now be subject to further parliamentary scrutiny but has a tight timetable for progression to the Lords, where it is expected to face fierce opposition.

Mr Cameron has been keen to avoid accusations of bullying his MPs and did not attend the debate as he was meeting US vice-president Joe Biden.

But less than two hours before the vote, he issued a brief televised statement defending the reform.

He said: "This is, yes, about equality. But it is also about making our society stronger. I know there are strong views on both sides of the argument - I respect that. But I think this is an important step forward for our country."

David Burrowes said that like other gay marriage opponents, he had been subjected to “abuse

After the votes were analysed, it emerged that Environment Secretary Owen Paterson and Welsh Secretary David Jones voted against while fellow Cabinet ministers Dominic Grieve stayed away.

But political heavyweights Theresa May, George Osborne, William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith all voted for gay marriage.

Earlier in the Commons, many MPs disputed the Government's insistence that the law would protect religious groups or individuals from being forced to conduct or promote gay marriage against their wishes.

Others feared it would redefine and undermine marriage while many Tories stressed it had no mandate from voters as it had not been in any party manifesto.

But those in favour said it was time to give gay people equal respect.

Threats The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, if passed, will let same sex couples have marriage in civil or religious settings where churches have agreed to conduct them.

Yvette Cooper also backed the Bill

Church of England spokesman and Tory MP Sir Tony Baldry said everyone was equal in God's sight but he could not support redefining marriage.

Conservative Sir Roger Gale said it was "Alice in Wonderland territory" for any government to try to redefine marriage as anything but the union of a man and a woman.

Leading Tory "rebel" David Burrowes said he had supported past legislation against homophobic hatred and bullying but, like other gay marriage opponents, he had been subjected to "abuse and even death threats".

Tory former minister Nick Herbert, who is in a civil partnership, supported the vote saying: "We, the defenders of marriage, should be gratefully opening the doors, yet the reaction of some has been to slam the doors shut."

Opening the debate, Culture Secretary and Equalities Minister Maria Miller said the change was an important part of making Britain a "fairer place to live" and would boost marriage.